Starbreeze has officially halted development on its much-anticipated Dungeons & Dragons game, previously known by its working title, Project Baxter. The decision came after a thorough strategic review by the developer’s board and management, concluding that resources would be more effectively utilized by focusing on its highly successful Payday franchise instead.
As a direct consequence of canceling Project Baxter, Starbreeze will incur an impairment charge of approximately SEK 255 million (roughly $27.2 million USD).
“This was a tough but necessary call,” stated Starbreeze CEO Adolf Kristjansson. “Our path forward is clear: Payday stands as one of gaming’s most iconic intellectual properties, brimming with unmatched reach and potential. By concentrating our investments and talent here, we can accelerate content delivery, keep players engaged with fresh experiences, and solidify Starbreeze’s leadership in the heisting genre. This move is all about sharpening our focus to generate the strongest long-term value for our players, our team, and our shareholders.”
Layoffs Affecting “Project Baxter” Team
Some developers previously assigned to Project Baxter will transition to other teams within Starbreeze, including the dedicated Payday unit. However, others will be unfortunately let go. “Where internal opportunities are limited, Starbreeze is committed to providing active support for affected employees to find new roles across the industry,” the company affirmed, noting that approximately 44 developers, including both full-time staff and contractors, will be impacted by these job losses.
Kristjansson further emphasized that Starbreeze is “doubling down” on the heisting genre, encompassing both the existing Payday titles and future expansions within this popular category. This strategic realignment, including the cancellation of Project Baxter, the layoffs, and a sharpened focus on the heist genre, is projected to help Starbreeze achieve “cash-flow positive” status by 2026.
Kristjansson extended his “sincere thanks to the Baxter team for their passion and creativity,” and expressed gratitude to Wizards of the Coast for their support. “While we’ve made the difficult decision to not proceed with this project, we are proud of what the Baxter team accomplished, and their contributions will undoubtedly benefit the Payday series and Starbreeze’s future endeavors. By concentrating our efforts on Payday, we are giving Starbreeze and all our employees the best chance for sustained success.”
Starbreeze’s Future Vision: A Deeper Dive into Heists
Starbreeze also unveiled its plans for the future, prominently featuring the expanded focus on Payday. Although Payday 3 has not replicated the massive success of its predecessor, Payday 2, particularly in terms of concurrent players on platforms like Steam, Starbreeze remains committed. The studio confirmed ongoing updates and improvements for Payday 3, aiming to transform it into a “scalable live-engagement platform capable of captivating millions of players globally.”
The company detailed that the franchise will undergo a significant evolution, transforming into a modern live-engagement game through continuous technology upgrades, expansion and refinement of the player experience, and enhanced engagement models designed to be both equitable and sustainable. The Payday 3 development team is expected to grow to around 50 individuals by the end of 2025, with further scaling dependent on player engagement.
Meanwhile, Payday 2 continues to receive new updates and enhancements, and recently introduced a subscription service offering all its downloadable content for a monthly fee.
Exciting New Games and Experiences on the Horizon
The Payday franchise has impressively reached over 50 million players worldwide to date, generating nearly SEK 4 billion (approximately $427.3 million USD) in total gross revenue. Building on this monumental success, Starbreeze announced plans for “new games and experiences that will broaden the heisting genre beyond Starbreeze’s current flagship projects.” These future titles will include spin-offs, story-driven adventures, and “franchise expansion” to entirely new platforms. Furthermore, Starbreeze reiterated to investors its intention to continue accepting work-for-hire contracts to bolster the company’s revenue streams.
“This strategy is fundamentally about execution and sustainable growth, delivered with superior quality and predictability,” Kristjansson concluded. “Our ambition is to continuously evolve Payday as a modern live-engagement game and to unlock fresh avenues for players to immerse themselves in the heisting genre through unique experiences and special operations. By relentlessly focusing on delivering enduring value to players, we are strengthening the bedrock for Starbreeze’s long-term prosperity.”
(A gallery titled “The Best PC Games To Play In 2025” was originally included here.)
